Tire meter and driving mechanism for such instruments and the like



May 12, 1925.

w. P. HAMMOND TIRE METER AND DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SUCH INSTRUMENTS ANDTHE LIKE Original Filed May 22, 1916 Patented May 12, 1 925.

UNITED STATES 1,537,670 PATENT, OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. HAMMOND, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW ERSEY.

TIRE METER AND DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SUCH INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE.

Original application filed May 22, 1916, Serial No. 99,088. Divided andthis application filed December i 24, 1921. Serial No. 524,583.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. HAM- MOND, a citizenof the United States,rcsiding in East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Tire Meters andDriving Mechaprovide a device of this character which embodies novelfeatures of construction whereby it is driven directly from the flexibledriving shaft of the speedometer, and

' may be used as a tire meter, a gasoline consumption mileage meter, orany similar device which may necessitate the provision of one or moreodometers, independent of the regular odometer involved in thespeedometer, but driven synchronously therewith.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of thischaracter which can be readily connected to the flexible 3o drivingshaft of any conventional speedometer without necessitating any changesin the construction thereof, which is comparativelysimple'and-inexpensive in its construction, which can be used forvarious purposes such as keeping an accurate record of the mileage ofeach of the four tires upon the vehicle, and which does not interfere inany manner with the proper operation or function ofthe'speedometeritself. i lVith these and other objects in view, theinvention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangemets of theparts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novelfeatures thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective View of a speedometer and tire mileage meter, the latterbeing constructed in accordance with the invention, and portionsbeiiigbroken away and shown in section to 1 ring out more clearly thedetails of construction.

elevation of the tire a conventional construction of speedometer. 1 soas to be driven directly from the flexible driving shaft 2 of thespeedometer. This speedometer is of the usual construction, beingprovided with a pointer 3 mounted to play over a scale 4 on the face ofthe instrument for the purpose of indi eating the speed of the vehicle.The usual total odometer 5 is provided at one side of the face of thespeedometer, while the usual trip odometer is provided at the oppositeside of the face of the instrument, these two-odometers operating in theusual manner to indicate, respectively, the total mileage of the machineand the mileage of various individual trips.

' A short auxiliary shaft 7 is interposed between the speedometer shaft8 and the flexible driving shaft 2, the upper end of the short shaftterminating in a polygonal head which is received within the'usualpolygonal socket 8 of the speedometer shaft 8, while the lower end ofthe short shaft is provided with a socket 7 which fits over thepolygonal end 2 of the flexible driving shaft 2. This short shaft 7 ishoused within a short casing 9 which is interposed between thecomplemental mem bers 10 and 10 respectively, of the usual union orjoint between the conduit 11 within which the flexible driving shaft 2is housed and the casing of .the speedometer.

This short shaft 7 is provided with a bevel gear 12 which meshes with asimilar bevel gear 13 applied to the extremity of a flexible shaft 14which is housed within a flexible conduit 15 leading from the shortinterposed casing section to one side of the casing 16 of the tiremileage meter. The

interposition of the auxiliary drive shaft in the coupling of the driveshaft of the conventional.speedometer 1s readily accomplished becausethe driving shaft of the speedometer is disconnectable immediately belowthe instrument and one of the objects of my invention is to provide anadapter that accommodates the connectable ends of the main shaft and thespeedometer, and

"also provide associated therewith suitable driving mechanism so thatrotation of the drive member of the auxiliary shaft may be readilyaccomplished.

A series of four odometer shafts 17 extend transversely across the tiremileage meter casing and are suitably journaled therein, one of saidtransverse shafts being directly connected to the auxiliary flexibledriving shaft 14 and all of the said shafts being connected by thegearing 18 so as to be driven in unison with each other and insynchronism with the odom eters of the speedometer.

"The front of the casing 16 is provided with a series of view openings19, which are arranged opposite the ends of the respective transverseshafts 17. The characters upon the odometers or counters 20, which areremovably fitted uponthe various transverse shafts 17, being visiblethrough the said display openings. An odometer or counter 20 is thusprovided for each wheel of the vehicle, and proper indicating means isprovided for identifying each particular odometer or counter 20 with therespective vehicle wheels. In the present instance, the words FrontRight appear over the upper display opening 19, the words Front Leftover the second display opening 19, the

words Rear Right over the third display opening 19, and the words RearLeft over the lower display opening 19, the designations referring tothe tires on the respective wheels. d

When a new tire is placed upon any one of the wheels of the vehicle, thecorresponding odometer 20 is set to a zero position, and

left untouched until the tire is removed. If the tlre is then discarded,the tire meter will I give the exact mileage of the tire with accuracy.On the other hand, if the tire is removed before it is worn out andcarried as a spare tire, the mileage already given by the tire would beregistered upon 'one of facturers to give a certain minimum mileage,without any grounds for possible dispute and ill feeling between theparties.

The odometers or counters 20 are fitted removably upon the ends of therespective transverse shafts 17, and are adapted to be slipped out ofposition through openings 22 or counters 20 are formed with recesseswhich engage lugs 23 on the gear wheels 18 uponthe sha-fts 17 when theodometers are in position, thereby obtaining an operative clutchconnection between the odometers and the shafts. Suitable latch memberssuch as the swinging arms 24 are provided on the side of the casing 16for holding the odometers 20 in proper position and preventing theconstant jar and vibration from shaking the same away from the gearwheels 18. The odometers 20 are thus mounted in such a manner that theycan be readily inserted in position or removed therefrom, although theyare held securely against accidental displacement by the latch members24.

Having thus described my invention, 1

1. The combination with a flexible power transmitting shaft provided atone end with an instrument, disconnectable means between said flexibledriving shaft and said instrument, and an adapter interposed between theflexible shaft and the instrument, said adapter having means cooperatingwith said shaft and instrument and driven in synchronism therewith and asecond shaft instrument connected to said second flexible shaft anddriven therefrom.

connected at one end to said adapter and The combination of a flexiblepower transmitting shaft provided at one end with a disconnectabledriving co1mection.forming part of said shaft, an instrument directlyconnected to and driven by said connection, a second connection indriving engagement with said first connection and a second powertransmitting shaft connected to and driven directly bysaid secondconnection and ail-instrument connected to and driven from said secondflexible shaft.

4. In combination with a flexible power transmitting shaft provided atits end with gear also within said housing and in mesh a drivingconnection forming an element of with said first gear, a second flexibleshaft said shaft, an instrument co-operativeiy asconnected to and drivendirectly from said sociated with and driven by said power second gearand a second instrument con- J transmitting shaft a housing for saidinnected to and driven from said second flex- 15 strument, a housing forsaid drivin coni le Sh ft: i

nection, said driving connection inc uding In testimony whereof haveafiixed my a gear mounted within said housing and in signature to thlsspeclficatlon.

driving association with said driving end of a 10 said powertransmitting shaft, a. second WILLIAM P. HAMMOND.

